The Mayor's draft water strategy - london.gov.uk - Greater London ...

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1 Introduction 1.1 Most people in London expect to turn on the tap and get water without having to think about where it comes from. Equally, people want to be able to pull out the plug and let water run away without having to worry about what happens to it afterwards. However, changes are going on around us that mean that Londoners will have to pay more attention to where water comes from and goes to. 1.2 London is a dynamic, growing city and, like other world cities, is facing the effects of a changing climate along with growing demands on resources. Together these pressures will aggravate the stress on existing systems by creating: • greater demands for water from the mains and, therefore, from the natural environment • increased flows to, and discharges from, the sewage treatment works • greater risks of surface flooding as rainwater runs off new houses, driveways and roads • increased risks of storms and tidal surges. • All in all, this means that we will have to plan much more carefully how we provide and use our water. 1.3 This strategy is intended to complement the plans and strategies of other organisations, including the government’s Water Strategy for England published in February 2008 (see paragraph 1.5 below) by presenting a London-specific view of water management. It draws on the policies, strategies and plans of others but also seeks to influence their future development. Its purpose is to promote improved water management – both in terms of the water we want (such as drinking water) and the water we don’t want (such as sewage and floodwater in the wrong place). This strategy considers all aspects of water management and how they interact. Arrangement of this document 1.4 This chapter gives a general explanation of the context within which this strategy is being prepared. The next two chapters are concerned with the supply of water for use in homes and businesses. Chapter 2 explains where our water comes from, and the balance between supply and demand, whilst Chapter 3 focuses on our use of water and how we might use the water that we have more effectively. After that, attention shifts to how to manage the water that we no longer need. Chapter 4 is concerned with rainwater and other surface water whilst Chapter 5 is concerned with wastewater collection, treatment and disposal. Chapter 6 explains how water services are paid for. Each chapter begins with a policy setting out a water management hierarchy, and includes specific proposals for action. Integrated water management 1.5 Future Water, the government’s Water Strategy for England 1 , puts forward a vision for water policy and management in which, by 2030 at the latest, we have: • improved the quality of our water environment and the ecology which it supports, and continued to provide high
16 The Mayor’s draft water strategy levels of drinking water quality from our taps • sustainably managed risks from flooding and coastal erosion, with greater understanding and more effective management of surface water • ensured a sustainable use of water resources, and implemented fair, affordable and cost-reflective water charges • cut greenhouse gas emissions • embedded continuous adaptation to climate change and other pressures across the water industry and water users. Figure 1.1 Water company service areas 1.6 The integration of water management as a whole is central to the success of this strategy. The government has recognised the importance of taking an integrated approach to water management in various recent initiatives, such as the Water Act 2003 and Future Water, along with other strategies mentioned elsewhere in this document. The Global Water Partnership (a partnership between governments, water suppliers and others) defines integrated water resources management as a, ‘Process which promotes the coordinated development
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